'Plaza Suite': elegant design, delightful performances

MIDDLEBORO — If walls could talk, the New York City Plaza Hotel's Suite 719 would have quite the tale to spin, as it does in the latest Nemasket River Productions presentation. The Neil Simon play is set in 1972, bringing the events of three separate afternoons to light in a light-hearted poke at love and romance.

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By CINDY DOW

southcoasttoday.com

By CINDY DOW

Posted Apr. 25, 2013 at 10:06 AM

By CINDY DOW

Posted Apr. 25, 2013 at 10:06 AM

» Social News

MIDDLEBORO — If walls could talk, the New York City Plaza Hotel's Suite 719 would have quite the tale to spin, as it does in the latest Nemasket River Productions presentation. The Neil Simon play is set in 1972, bringing the events of three separate afternoons to light in a light-hearted poke at love and romance.

Jane Cartier turns in another stupendous performance as Karen Nash, a woman trying to reignite the spark in her marriage on her 23rd, or maybe 24th, wedding anniversary by resetting the scene of their honeymoon.

Karen's excitement is almost palpable as she chats up the bellboy, played by John Orlowski, and calls down for room service to order the same hors d'oeuvres and champagne they had so many years ago. Her antics trying to remove her galoshes only underscore her eagerness to set the stage for the night she envisions.

Her husband, Sam, played by Phil Markella, is frustratingly resistant to her flirty attempts to distract him from his briefcase. While Karen may be charmingly confused by numbers, it is not long before she has figured out the real reason for Sam's aloof behavior — his secretary Jean McCormack, portrayed by Monica Saviolakis. Though at first Karen suggests that she would understand if Sam were having an affair, her tune changes when he reveals that he has been seeing Jean for months.

"It looked good in the window, but it was terrible when I got it home," Karen tells Sam when he challenges her on her changed attitude.

In act II, Garret Olson plays the smooth-talking Jesse Kiplinger, a famous Hollywood producer so tired of the fast-lane he has come back to visit his high-school girlfriend in hopes of finding someone real to talk to — or so he would lead Muriel Tate, played by Sheila Kelleher, to believe. Muriel, though married with children at home, has eagerly followed Jesse's adventures in life through the tabloids, and hopes in breathless anticipation she can catch of glimpse of the lives of the stars through Jesse's conversation. With the addition of one vodka-stinger after another, though, she quickly succumbs to the seductive ploys of her former friend.

The stage of Act III is set when Mimsey Hubley's mother, Norma, played by Merrie Mizaras, calls down to the banquet hall to ask her husband, Roy, played by Rolly Blanchette, to come up to the suite. While Norma hovers on the verge of hysteria because Mimsey has locked herself in the bathroom, Roy is blustering and bullying, attempting to break the door down to force Mimsey to go through with the wedding he is paying for.

"There's no time for second thoughts," Roy says, "I'm paying $8,000 for the first thoughts!"

The antics increase as Roy climbs out on the balcony to walk around to the bathroom window, getting caught in a rain storm and ripping his rented tuxedo jacket before having to come back through someone else's hotel room because Mimsey has also locked the bathroom window. Ms. Saviolakis returns as Mimsey, and Mr. Orlowski returns as the easy-going groom who is finally able to convince her to unlock the door.

The elegantly designed suite 719 makes efficient use of the stage, creating the illusion of a lavish suite despite having no walls. The use of wigs in some of the scenes presents a distraction from the magic wrought by the setting, but the delightful work of the actors is able to bring the audience along regardless.

NPR will host three more performances of "Plaza Suite," including shows at 8 p.m. tonight, tomorrow and Saturday. Tickets for tonight's show are just $15, with Friday and Saturday performances at $20.

A collaboration between NRP and Lorenzo's Italian Restaurant for the "Dinner and a Show" special, a dinner theatre experience that combines a three-course meal including a glass of wine, taxes and gratuities for $15 with a theater ticket for $15 are available. Dinner reservations are advised and can be made by calling the restaurant at 508-947-3000.

Diners bring their dinner receipt to the box office before the show to purchase their theater tickets.

For more details, visit NRP's website, www.nemasketriverproductions.com, or call the box office at 866-244-0448.